(Author, Department, University,
Corresponding Address and email)
Abstract
Overweight and obesity are considered as the problems in which excessive or abnormal fat accumulates in the body that may impair health. Nearly, 13% of the adult population in the world was obese in the year 2014. Moreover, the global prevalence of obesity has increased by more than two times between the years 1980 and 2014. Obesity was once considered as the problem of developed and high-income countries but now the problem has also been found increasing in the middle- and low-income countries, especially in urban settings. It is important to note that some of the noncommunicable diseases can occur as a result of the increased body mass index (BMI) that is a commonly used indicator for overweight and obesity. In this regard, nurses could play an important role in controlling the problem of rising rates of obesity in the world not only in children but also in adults. They can help in giving information to the people regarding obesity. They can also help in developing the policies to control obesity related factors. This paper is showing the rising trends in obesity in different parts of the world and the significance of nursing profession in this problem.
Overweight and obesity are considered as the problems in which excessive or abnormal fat accumulates in the body that may impair health. Usually, body mass index (BMI) is used for describing the overweight and obesity. BMI is a person’s weight in kilograms per square of height in meters (i.e. kg/m2). According to the most recent estimates by World Health Organization, more than 600 million adults having the age of 18 years or more were obese in the year 2014. Nearly, 13% of the adult population, representing 15% of women and 11% of men in the world was obese in the year 2014. Moreover, the global prevalence of obesity has increased by more than two times between the years 1980 and 2014 (World Health Organization, 2016).
Obesity on the rise
Sturm & Hattori (2013) worked on the morbid obesity rates in the U.S. They considered morbid obesity at the BMI of more than 40 and 50 kg/m2. They utilized the data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and found that the prevalence of a BMI of more than 40 kg/m2 has increased by about 70% and the prevalence of a BMI of more than 50 kg/m2 has increased even rapid between the years 2000 and 2010. The increasing trends of BMI were similar between Blacks and Hispanics, and non-Hispanic Whites. However, they found that the increasing trends of clinically severe obesity were less rapid in more recent years as compared to the years before 2005 (Sturm & Hattori, 2013).
In a study by Bancej et al. (2015) on Canadian population, it was reported that obesity prevalence rates had been increased by more than two times in Canadian children as well as adolescents between the years 1978/79 and 2004, i.e. an increase of percentage from 6.3% to 13.3%. Obesity prevalence rate were more for boys as compared to girls and the prevalence rates were higher in adolescents as compared to children. Similarly, obesity prevalence rates in Canadian adults had been increased by almost two times between the years 1978/79 and 2004, i.e. an increase of percentage from 13.8% to 23.1%. Researchers also noted that if some effective and novel strategies would not be developed, the obesity prevalence rates would keep on rising over the next two decades (Bancej et al., 2015).
In a study on south-eastern Australian women, it was found that mean BMI has increased from 26 kg/m2 in the years 1993-1997 to 27.1 kg/m2 in the years 2004 to 2008. Moreover, the prevalence of morbid obesity has also increased from 2.5% to 4.2% during that time. Researchers also reported that elevation of mean BMI as well as increased prevalence of morbid obesity was found for all ages (Pasco, Brennan, & Kotowicz, 2013).
Obesity was once considered as the problem of developed and high-income countries but now the problem has also been found increasing in the middle- and low-income countries, especially in urban settings. For example, in Africa, the number of overweight or obese children has increased almost two times from 5.4 million in the year 1990 to the 10.6 million in the year 2014 (World Health Organization, 2016).
Common health consequences of obesity
Some of the noncommunicable diseases can occur as a result of the increased BMI. These diseases may include cardiovascular diseases, primarily stroke and heart disease that were the leading causes of death in the year 2012. Moreover, musculoskeletal disorders such as osteoarthritis and some forms of cancer such as liver cancer and endometrial cancer can also develop as a result of obesity (World Health Organization, 2016). Obesity can also increase the chances of premature death in people (Bancej et al., 2015).
Significance of the problem of obesity to nursing
Nursing is one of the most important health care professions that deal with patients and their families, and this dealing is more than any other health care professional. Therefore, it is important for nurses to work with health care professionals and researchers as well as other people to work on new and effective strategies to reduce the rising trend in obesity.
One of the most important things that nurses can do is that they can give support and education to the parents and families regarding healthy lifestyle, i.e. healthy diet and healthy activities. This would have significant impact on the health of children; thereby, decreasing obesity in children. However, an important problem that is faced by nurses is that a huge number of families and children do not engage in intervention obesity program. Most of the parents think that their child is not obese or overweight; therefore, they do not require any counseling or training regarding obesity intervention. In this case, nurses have to develop sufficient communication as well as interpersonal skills, so that they would be able to communicate the information to the parents and families in a required manner. Sometimes, nurses may also have gaps in knowledge regarding current guidelines as well as evidences, so they have also to work on their own knowledge and update it regularly. With the help of knowledge, nurses can also help in overcoming social and financial problems faced by families as, for example, they can give information about the support provided by a health care institution (Penn & Kerr, 2014). Nurses can also help in the development of policies as well as funding decisions that can provide support not only at the local level but also at the national level (Rowen, 2009). Overall, it becomes a duty of nurses to deal with the problems and obstacles that are commonly faced by people in overcoming the problem of rising trends in obesity both in children and adults.
Purpose of the research
This research has been done to work on the causes behind the increasing trends in obesity (i.e., what are the causes for increase in obesity?) and to prevent or reduce the increasing rates of obesity in people (i.e. how to prevent or reduce the rising trend of obesity?).
Causes for increase in obesity
Energy imbalance is one of the most important causes of increased prevalence of obesity. In the energy imbalance, there is an unevenness between the consumption of calories and the utilization of those calories. People usually take energy-dense foods having high amount of fats and show decreased level of activity due to many factors such as sedentary nature of most of the tasks and easy modes of transportation (World Health Organization, 2016).
Reduction or prevention of obesity
Obesity and the related noncommunicable diseases are mostly preventable. For example, supportive communities could help in shaping the selections of people regarding choices for healthier foods and activities. At the societal level, it is important to provide opportunities for healthy lifestyles to the people. At individual level, people can restrict the energy intake and decrease the consumption of fatty foods. They can also start consuming vegetables and fruits. People can also engage themselves in regular physical activities (World Health Organization, 2016).
References
Bancej, C., Jayabalasingham, B., Wall, R., Rao, D., Do, M., de Groh, M., & Jayaraman, G. (2015). Trends and projections of obesity among Canadians. Health promotion and chronic disease prevention in Canada: research, policy and practice, 35(7), 109.
Pasco, J. A., Brennan, S. L., & Kotowicz, M. A. (2013). Morbid obesity in women on the rise: an observational, population-based study. BMC Public Health, 13(1), 290.
Penn, S., & Kerr, J. (2014). Childhood obesity: the challenges for nurses. Nurs Child Young People, 26(2), 16, 18-21. doi: 10.7748/ncyp2014.03.26.2.16.e398
Rowen, L. (2009). Overview and summary: Obesity on the rise: What can nurses do? OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 14(1).
Sturm, R., & Hattori, A. (2013). Morbid obesity rates continue to rise rapidly in the United States. International journal of obesity, 37(6), 889-891.
World Health Organization. (2016). Obesity and overweight. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/
